Cardiacs, originally called Cardiac Arrest, was an English band formed in 1… Read Full Bio ↴Cardiacs, originally called Cardiac Arrest, was an English band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith (1961-2020). Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by many newer groups and artists.

As well as Smith, around 23 musicians were part of the Cardiacs over the years, including Smith's brother, Jim, and multi-instrumentalist, Sarah Cutts, who married Tim Smith in 1983.

Their music combined the excitement and energy of punk with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British progressive rock, a combination sometimes referred to as pronk, although frontman Smith disavowed this classification.

Cardiacs released eight studio albums plus a number of live albums, compilation albums and singles between 1980 and 2007, and are best known for the 1988 minor hit single "Is This the Life?" They are also noted for attracting strongly diverse responses: they have remained one of Britain's leading cult rock bands during their four-decade-spanning career, but have also attracted virulent critical attack (including a lengthy editorial ban from the British music magazine New Musical Express).

On the 30th June 1990, Cardiacs played at Salisbury Arts Centre (a former church). The show was recorded and initially the video of it was released on VHS tape under the name "All That Glitters Is A Mare's Nest". The video helped Cardiacs achieve a cult following, with pirated copies of the video, being highly sought after. The audio from the show was released on CD in 1995.

The band was on hiatus following the 2008 hospitalisation of Tim Smith after a heart attack and series of strokes which affected his speech and movement.

Commenting on his condition, in 2017, Smith wrote: “Imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you, with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”

In 2018, fundraising was set up for Tim Smith, which included the comment “This condition has affected Tim’s movement, his dexterity, his ability to speak, and it has added painful muscle tone and spasms that are a permanent feature of his life these days.”

On Tuesday 21st July 2020, at around 10.30 pm, Tim Smith passed away at his home, as a result of a heart attack.

Cardiacs final album, "LSD" remained unfinished at the time of Tim Smith's death. At the time of his death, Cardiacs still remained a cult following, their recordings were not, for example, available on Spotify. For many years there were few new copies of Cardiacs albums in circulation. Later on, re-releases became available on CD and then vinyl.

Eat It Up Worms Hero
Cardiacs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Make eyes pretty wear clean dress
And boy get shot into the wilderness
Moving like a worms hero
Looks both ways and goes

Gives birth in his throat
Pin legs make his torso leak
Air her holes

Her tiny sides going in and out
Shiny worm to heal her hole

And all the beauty tells him he is worms hero
He is love and hatred

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cardiacs' song Eat It Up Worms Hero are not easily decipherable, but they do paint a vivid and disturbing picture. The first two lines of the verse suggest a young woman dressing up and sending her boyfriend off into the world, where he will face danger and possibly die. The next two lines introduce the idea of a "worms hero" - someone who moves delicately and carefully, like a worm, but who is also brave and heroic in some way. The following lines are even more abstract, describing someone giving birth in their throat, leaking from their legs, and healing a "hole" in someone else with a "shiny worm".

So what does it all mean? Cardiacs' music is often described as "prog punk", meaning that it combines complex, technically challenging musical structures with punk rock's energy and aggression. It's possible that the lyrics are meant to be interpreted in a similarly jarring and disorienting way. However, some fans have suggested that the song is a commentary on the pressures and expectations placed on young people in society. The imagery of the "worms hero" suggests that even those who are seen as weak or insignificant can be heroic in their own way. The idea of giving birth in one's throat could be a metaphor for feeling suffocated or overwhelmed by societal expectations, while the image of healing a "hole" with a "shiny worm" could represent the power of using one's own innate strengths and qualities to help others.

Line by Line Meaning

Make eyes pretty wear clean dress
Put on a nice outfit and make sure to look good

And boy get shot into the wilderness
A boy is sent off into the unknown and dangerous wilderness

Moving like a worms hero
Moving with the agility and bravery of a hero worm

Looks both ways and goes
Being cautious and aware of surroundings, but still moving forward

Gives birth in his throat
A difficult situation causing intense emotion and a physical reaction

Pin legs make his torso leak
Physical injury causing blood loss

Air her holes
Providing ventilation or clearing obstruction(s)

Her tiny sides going in and out
Breathing deeply and steadily

Shiny worm to heal her hole
An object or solution that can fix a problem

And all the beauty tells him he is worms hero
Receiving recognition and praise for heroic actions

He is love and hatred
Being both admired and despised for actions taken